"The public is not to see where power lies, how it shapes policy, and for what ends. Rather, people are to hate and fear one another."

Power

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Thematic Reflection

This quotation examines the core nature of Power as articulated by Noam Chomsky. Within historical and literary traditions, reflections on Power provide actionable mental models, challenging individuals to evaluate personal ethics, self-discipline, and daily actions.

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About Noam Chomsky

Avram Noam Chomsky is an American intellectual, philosopher, linguist, political activist, and social critic. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy and one of the founders of the field of cognitive science. He is a laureate professor of linguistics at the University of Arizona and an institute professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Among the most cited living authors, Chomsky has written more than 150 books on topics such as linguistics, war, and politics. In addition to his work in linguistics, since the 1960s, Chomsky has been an influential voice on the American Left as a consistent critic of the foreign policy of the United States, contemporary capitalism, and corporatocracy.

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More by Noam Chomsky

"The internet could be a very positive step towards education, organisation and participation in a meaningful society."

— Noam Chomsky
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"There are two problems for our species' survival - nuclear war and environmental catastrophe - and we're hurtling towards them. Knowingly."

— Noam Chomsky
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"International affairs is very much run like the mafia. The godfather does not accept disobedience, even from a small storekeeper who doesn't pay his protection money. You have to have obedience; otherwise, the idea can spread that you don't have to listen to the orders, and it can spread to important places."

— Noam Chomsky
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"In this possibly terminal phase of human existence, democracy and freedom are more than just ideals to be valued - they may be essential to survival."

— Noam Chomsky
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More about Power

"This revolution, the information revoultion, is a revolution of free energy as well, but of another kind: free intellectual energy. It's very crude today, yet our Macintosh computer takes less power than a 100-watt bulb to run it and it can save you hours a day. What will it be able to do ten or 20 years from now, or 50 years from now?"

— Steve Jobs
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"Women's strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness. The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman."

— William Moulton Marston
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"You want to play in every game, and you especially don't want to be in the penalty box for five minutes and give the other team a chance to get a power play, and you don't want to hurt anyone on the other team."

— Carl Hagelin
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"There is always strength in numbers. The more individuals or organizations that you can rally to your cause, the better."

— Mark Shields
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